The mystery of the death of one of the best musicians of the millennium, Freddie Mercury, Queen. Freddie Mercury: the story of a boy from Stone Town

In 1947, a photograph of one-year-old Freddie won the title of photograph of the year in a competition in his hometown.

Of all the sports available at school, Freddie preferred hockey, boxing and sprinting. In addition, he won the school table tennis title at the age of 10.

Freddie Mercury's real name is Farrukh Bulsara. “Farrukh” translated from Zanzibar means “beautiful”, “happy”. Officially, the future rock star changed her name in 1970. When he was addressed as Farrukh, Mercury became furious. Mercury was a Parsi (an ethnic group of Iranian origin who professed Zoroastrianism).

The musician's vocal range was 4 octaves. Freddie's signature "microphone without a stand" stage trick came about by accident. At one concert in 1969, Mercury used the microphone so actively that he loosened the mountings of its stand. Then the artist, right during the performance of the song, unscrewed the lower part that was in his way and began to perform with a microphone in his hands, from which the upper part of the stand was hanging. Freddie liked the trick so much that he made it his calling card.

Mercury loved cats; sometimes he had at least 10 animals living with him at the same time. The solo album of the musician Mr Bad Guy is dedicated to the tailed ones, to his beloved cat - the song Delilah from the latest album of The Queen (Innuendo). While on tour, Mercury regularly called home and spent hours talking with cats.

Mercury wrote the song “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (the only one during which Fredia played the guitar at concerts) in the bathroom.

After graduating from London's Ealing College of Art, he received a diploma in graphic design. The emblem of The Queen group, consisting of zodiac signs, was invented and drawn by Mercury himself.

The Queen's greatest hits collection, released in October 1981, is the best-selling British album in music history (more than 25 million copies).

Freddie Mercury had a long-term (7 years) relationship with Mary Austin. In 1976, the artist confessed to her his own bisexuality, the couple broke up, but until the end of their lives they were close friends. Austin served as Mercury's secretary; according to the will, she received part of the musician's fortune and his house.

The Queen's leader's favorite country was Japan.

His musical idols were John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix.

The artist considered Somebody To Love to be his most successful song.

The artist's favorite color was yellow. A special variety of yellow roses is named after him.

He was a passionate philatelist.

Before one of the concerts in Britain, Mercury got into a fight with his then partner Billy Reid. He bit the musician’s hand until he bled.

During another quarrel, Reid and Mercury shouted at each other for several hours in a row, as a result, the next morning the artist lost his voice - and this was on the eve of his appearance on the Saturday Night Live television show. The medical team spent a lot of effort and money to ensure that the singer’s vocal abilities returned to normal by the evening.

While on tour in the United States, Freddie Mercury learned that his partner Tony Bastin was dating someone else. Mercury demanded that Bastin fly to him and, upon meeting, declare that everything was over between them. Immediately after this, the artist sent his unfaithful boyfriend back to England, and upon returning from tour, he took the cat away.

The song Barcelona from Mercury's solo album of the same name, released in 1988, became the anthem of the 1992 Olympics.

Despite his classical musical education, Mercury has repeatedly admitted that he does not know notes well.

The artist made a statement that he had AIDS the day before his death. Mercury was diagnosed positive for AIDS four years earlier, in the spring of 1987.

The last song he recorded was Mother Love, which was not included on the Innuendo album (four years later it was released on the Made in Heaven album). The final verse was sung by the band's guitarist Brian May for the seriously ill artist.

Freddie Mercury is mentioned in Kurt Cobain's suicide note: the Nirvana leader speaks of his admiration for his colleague, his ability to accept the love of the public.

The Queen were the first band to use video screens at concerts, the first of the classic rock bands.

Mercury was afraid to correct his famous overbite and remove polyps on his vocal cords because he thought it might damage his vocal abilities. Nevertheless, Freddie stopped smoking only in the last years of his life.

The group "Queen" is the owner of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star was “gifted” to the musicians for their contributions and achievements in the field of music.

The song Who Wants to Live Forever, which is the official soundtrack of the Highlander film series, was written by Brian May and Freddie Mercury in the car, returning from watching the first film about the ageless MacLeod

The Freddie Mercury Memorial in Montreux is located on the Place du Marché, on the luxurious promenade of Lake Geneva.

Farrukh began to live with his grandfather and aunt. Even there, in the first years of his studies, Farrukh’s classmates (mostly English-speaking from birth) came up with the idea of ​​calling him Freddie. This name is not an analogue of Farrukh, despite the similarities, they are simply similar, and Farrukh's classmates were somewhat uncomfortable calling him by his native name.

Freddie Bulsara was a good student, but showed more interest in music and creativity in general than in learning. Moreover, he was an excellent painter, plus he sang in the school choir and regularly participated in performances. In addition, Freddie was a good athlete, he especially liked hockey, sprinting and boxing, although he hated cricket and running. For some time he studied ballet. At the age of 10, Farrukh became the school champion in table tennis. At 12, he received a cup for winning the youth all-around, and once even a certificate “for excellence in all sciences and arts.”

From an early age in Zanzibar, Freddie loved to listen to different music, giving preference to classics and the young, but then rapidly conquering the world, rock. But among Freddie’s special passions are ethnic music and opera.

All this love for music led to the fact that the principal noticed Freddie’s abilities, which began to manifest themselves at school. He wrote a letter to the boy’s parents, in which he offered to organize piano courses for Freddie for a fee. And the parents agreed. Freddie enjoyed the classes, he had the opportunity to develop his rare talent, and eventually received a 4th degree in theory and practice.

At the age of 12, Freddie became a member of the first group in his life, which he organized - "The Hectics" ("Fidgets"). His first song, written during the same period, is called "I'm Going To The Top." As for the group, all that is known is that The Hectics performed at school parties, dances, and various events. Freddie was not a vocalist, but only a pianist.

Freddie's contribution to Queen in particular, and to world music in general, is difficult to overestimate. He is the author of the first Queen song to hit the British charts - Seven Seas Of Rhye (). He also wrote the first hit of the group Killer Queen (), as well as Queen’s most successful work - a masterpiece of world musical art Bohemian Rhapsody. When writing this song, Freddie had the opportunity to maximize his talent, and he took advantage of this chance. The song was predicted to fail due to its enormous length for those times (5:55), and a wild, at first glance, mixture of the most incompatible styles and genres of music. But Queen released the song as a single and shot a video clip for it, which is the first “real” video clip in history, as a result of which the group got into Guinness Book of Records, and their hard work resulted in international recognition and fame.

Illness and death (1986-1991)

Freddie’s second equally famous (and perhaps surpassed it in popularity) song was and remains “We Are The Champions”, which was in rotation on almost all US radio stations, not to mention the fact that this composition became the unofficial anthem of the winners major sporting competitions. This is what you hear most often from fans. Recently the song was named the most recognizable in the world.

Freddie's friends include such famous people as Montserrat Caballe, Tim Rice, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Dave Clark and many others.

At all Queen concerts, Freddie used a microphone with an unfinished stand attached to it. This distinctive sign, which became the singer’s calling card, was formed during his first performances in England. Once at one of the concerts, Freddie, as usual, was spinning around the stage, playing with a microphone. The stand of that old and heavy microphone was so heavy, and Freddie’s zeal was so strong, that in the end the lower part of the stand simply fell off, and Freddie was left with the microphone and the upper half of the stand in his hands. He liked this style so much that as a result Freddie adopted this design.

The image of Freddy formed the basis for the design of Sol, one of the main characters in the Guilty Gear series of games.

"Mother Love" is the last song written and performed by Freddie.

Videography

VHS editions

1. "The Video EP" (Released July 21, 1986)
2. "The Great Pretender" (Released 16 March 1987 UK only)
3. "The Barcelona EP" (Released February 6, 1989)
4. November 6, 2000)

DVD editions

1. "The Video Collection" (Released October 23, 2000)
2. "Lover of Life Singer of Songs" (Released September 4, 2006)
3. “Lover of Life Singer of Songs (Collectors Edition 2CD+2DVD)” (Released November 20, 2006)

Discography

1. “Mr. Bad Guy" (Album released April 29, 1985)
2. "Barcelona" (Album released October 10, 1988)
3. "The Freddie Mercury Album" (Album released November 17, 1992)
4. "The Great Pretender" (Album released November 24, 1992 US only)
5. “Freddie Mercury - Remixes” (Album released November 1, 1993 only in Bolivia, Brazil, Italy, Holland and Japan)
6. "The Solo Collection" (Box set released October 23, 2000 in the UK, Europe and Japan)
7. “Solo” (Album released in 2000)
8. “Lover of Life, Singer of Songs - The Very Best of Freddie Mercury Solo” (Album released September 4, 2006).

Singles

• 1974 - I Can Hear Music
• 1984 - Love Kills
• 1985 - I Was Born to Love You
• 1985 - Made In Heaven
• 1985 - Living On My Own
• 1985 - Love Me Like There's No Tomorrow
• 1986 - Time
• 1987 - The Great Pretender
• 1987 - Barcelona (with M. Caballe)
• 1988 - The Golden Boy (with M. Caballe)
• 1988 - How Can I Go On (with M. Caballe)

Posthumously published (selectively):

• 1992 - Barcelona (with M. Caballe)
• 1992 - How Can I Go On (with M. Caballe)
• 1992 - In My Defense
• 1993 - The Great Pretender
• 1993 - Living On My Own ("No More Brothers Remix")
• 2006 - Love Kills (a series of remixes released for the 60th anniversary)

Notes

Links

Freddie Mercury's name is not real, the singer's name is Farrukh Bulsara. He is also remembered by his fans as a songwriter, and, of course, as the vocalist of the cult rock band Queen. One of the achievements of this man is that in 2002 he was awarded 58th place in the list of the hundred greatest Britons. In general, during his life he received many awards and prizes. What was Freddie Mercury like? The biography and personal life of the singer do not leave his fans indifferent.

Childhood and youth

What was Freddie Mercury like? The biography says that he was born on September 5, 1946 in Stone Town. The singer died on November 24, 1991. But everything is in order. Where are Freddie Mercury's roots? His nationality is Parsi. The parents' names were Jer and Bomi Bulsara. The newborn child was named Farrukh, which translated means “happiness.” When the boy was six years old, his sister Kashmira was born. The head of the family worked as a cashier at the Supreme Court.

In 1954, the parents sent their son to St. Peter's School, located half a kilometer from Bombay. What kind of student was Freddie Mercury? His biography tells that during his studies the boy began to get involved in music, thanks to the singer Lata Mangeshkar. In Panchgan, the guy lived with his uncle and aunt. His real name was difficult for his peers to pronounce, and then they started calling him Freddie. Since then this name has become attached to him. After some thought, the singer took this pseudonym for himself.

All disciplines taught at the school were exclusively British. The guy was most interested in sports such as sprinting, boxing and hockey. But he did not like activities such as running and cricket. This man excelled in sports while at school. At the age of ten he was recognized as the champion among schoolchildren in tennis, and two years later he received a cup for all-around. When he was 12 years old, the director of the educational institution presented Freddie with a certificate for success in the arts and sciences.

Despite his busy schedule, he excelled in his studies. This is what the future singer did during his school years:

• performed with the choir;
• drew;
• wrote scripts and participated in performances;
• I studied successfully.

But most of all he was interested in music. It was this activity that the boy devoted his childhood to. I also remember cases where this hobby was to the detriment of studies. The school director was the first to notice that the guy had talent. Then he wrote an appeal to his parents with a proposal that they send their son to study the piano for a nominal fee. The parents were not against it; they also rejoiced at their child’s success. Freddie began learning to play a musical instrument and enjoyed it. The result of his work can be called the fourth degree, both in practice and in theory.

The boy did not sing alone, he had like-minded people. So in 1958, a small company of guys created a musical group that performed rock. It consisted of five people, and its name translated meant “crazy people.” It is worth noting that this is an ideal name for such a team, which was completely justified. But this name did not bother the school administration, and the guys performed at various events.

In 1962, the singer graduated from the educational institution. He was sixteen years old then. That same year he returned to his native Zanzibar. But in 1964, the country in which the family lived underwent serious political changes. The Arab sultan began to rule Zanzibar. And then the family packed up in a few days and moved to the UK.

Path to fame

When the family ended up in England, at first they had to live with relatives in Felthamy, and after some time they bought their own house. Freddie at this time had already become an adult and he wanted to study further, so he entered the Icefort school, where he studied painting. And he really liked this activity.

During these years, the family experienced financial needs, and therefore Freddie, as the eldest son, had to go to work part-time. At first he served at London Airport, then became a loader. Then his colleagues were very surprised that such a young and talented guy was working in such a field. But Freddie justified himself and said that he does this only in his free time, and his profession is a musician. Due to his charm, he was treated with leniency, and some employees performed Freddy's duties.

What was Freddie Mercury like on the way to his popularity? The biography tells us that after graduating from school, in 1966, the guy decided to go to study at an art college located in London. Already in the fall, Freddie entered this institution. After that, he decided to live separately from his parents, and then he and a friend rented an apartment in Kensington. His neighbor was also passionate about music, and so they often held rehearsals, but were in no hurry to appear on stage yet. This city in those days was considered the center of art.

The singer devoted a lot of time to drawing, and most of his creations were addressed to his favorite guitarist, Jimi Hendrix. There the guy found a new friend - Tim Staffel, the leader of the Smile group, as well as an excellent vocalist and guitarist. After some time, Freddie began to be invited to the rehearsals of this group. There he met and began to communicate with other team members and was amazed at what he saw.

In 1969, the guy finished his studies and moved to live with Taylor Roger, with whom they opened a store together that sold Freddie's paintings and other exclusive items.

In the same year, the singer met the group Ibex. He was so interested in her work that after a couple of weeks he already knew everything about her repertoire. And then Freddie added several of his own songs to the existing ones. And at the end of August he already performed with the group on the common stage. He suggested renaming the team, his proposal was appreciated and a new name was invented - Wreckage. But in this composition the group did not last long: one by one the participants left it, and it soon broke up.

And then the guy decided not to stop there. He started looking for a new job for himself. He looked at the advertisements every day and decided to become the lead singer of the band Sour Milk Sea. When Freddie came across this ad, he showed up for an interview that same day and was appointed vocalist. The band members received him well, as his voice was inspiring, and the way he could move amazed everyone. Several rehearsals were held, and then the group began to give their concerts.

Freddie became best friends with Chris, and soon he moved into his apartment. But the rest of the group didn't like their relationship, as they thought it would harm the band's reputation. A few months later the team finally broke up, but it was not Freddie’s fault. It’s just that the person who was the owner of all the equipment took it away, and the group could no longer carry out its activities.

1970-1982

In April 1970, Freddie became the lead singer of the Smile group, as its former vocalist decided to leave the team. At the same time, a new name was invented - Queen. For the group, Freddie began to draw a symbol, the basis for which was the coat of arms of Great Britain. In 1972, while recording another masterpiece, Freddie had the idea of ​​changing his last name. And from that time on he became Freddie Mercury.

Already in 1975, the group began to tour in different countries, including Japan. Most of all, the guys remembered the performance specifically because they were warmly received, which the band members themselves did not expect. Freddie truly fell in love with this country and he dedicated all his works related to painting to it. In 1980, Freddie decided to change his image: he grew a mustache and cut his hair short, which only made him more attractive.

1983-1988

At the end of 1982, the band members decided that they wanted to rest for the upcoming season and not give any more concerts. But Freddie himself was not ready for this. His plans did not include such a long period of inaction. But he was not upset, since he had more time for himself, and decided to work on a solo album, the dream of which he lived for a long period of time.

In 1983, Freddie began working on a solo record and spent a lot of time in the studio. Then he met the most popular composer Giorgio Moreder, who invited Freddie to record a joint score for the film. In September 1984, the song Love Kills was released.

Freddie Mercury released his first album at the end of April 1985.

Montserrat Caballe played a big role in Freddie's life, whose first meeting took place in 1983 and made a strong impression on him. They met for the second time four years later, when Freddie presented the singer with a cassette of his music. Caballe was impressed by Freddie's creation, and that same year they already worked on a joint album.

The date of the singer’s last appearance on stage was October 1988, it was one of the music festivals. At this time, he already knew that he had AIDS. This year the great singer's album was released.

Personal life

Attractive, charming Freddie Mercury... The singer’s personal life was of interest to many of his fans. At the end of 1969, Freddie met Mary Austin, with whom they were together for seven long years. But they could not get along, and therefore were forced to separate. But even after this they remained good friends, and the girl became Freddie's personal secretary. According to Mary, they separated because Freddie admitted that he was bisexual. He considered the girl his good friend.

After this separation, Freddie had many girlfriends, but he was simply carried away by them, none of them could replace Mary for him. Many of Freddie's songs were dedicated to this girl, and in addition, he bequeathed his mansion to her.

Barbara Valentine is an actress from Australia, with whom Freddie also had a fleeting affair. They met in 1983. The musician himself admitted in an interview that this girl helped him create a strong union, and he could not achieve such a relationship in the last years of his single life.

Freddie Mercury's children

Freddie Mercury had no children. According to many of his fans, this was only because of his gay orientation. But if you remember some interviews, Freddie dreamed of children and family life.

He did not like to talk about personal topics. The image of the singer caused a lot of controversy regarding his sexuality. It is worth noting that in all interviews he either remained silent, joked, or spoke vaguely when it came to questions about his likes and preferences.

Are these rumors about Freddie Mercury true? Biography, cause of death - everything indicates that he was, as it were, “different” from everyone else. Even after Freddie died, the press did not stop talking about his sexuality. Many claimed that he was gay, and this information was obtained after communicating with people who personally knew Freddie. As his friends said, the musician was homosexual and did not hide it at all.

In 1992, a concert was held in memory of the singer, but even there his orientation was touched upon. The book by Freddie's personal assistant described the celebrity's meetings with men.

Freddie Mercury before his death

In 1986, rumors began to spread that Freddie was terminally ill. At first they began to write in the newspapers that it was noticed that the singer was donating blood for HIV infection. It would seem like a simple analysis, but then the press exhausted this information far and wide. Since 1989, fans began to notice strong changes in Freddie's appearance. Fans said that he began to lose weight before their eyes, and then his diagnosis was confirmed. But until his death, Freddie denied the disease, and only those close to him knew the truth.

In 1989, Queen gave an interview on one of the radio stations. The participants were asked when their next tour was planned. But the group replied that they did not know the exact date, since their lead singer had serious health problems, and Freddie again became the subject of discussion.

But the musician himself knew that he would not live long, and therefore he wanted to record as many musical compositions as possible. In total, two solo records were released in his life, but he wrote songs that were released in the albums of other artists. Videos were shot for some of his songs, which delighted the public. The latest videos were filmed in black and white so that viewers would not notice the condition of their idol. After the musician died, another of his albums was released. This was in 1995.

How did Freddie Mercury die? On November 23, 1991, the singer announced that he was HIV positive. He understood that there was no point in hiding it, because sooner or later everyone would find out about it. Freddie transferred his rights to the songs to a foundation that was created to protect seriously ill people.

How Freddie died

Freddie Mercury, whose biography was rich, but unfortunately short, enriched the world's musical heritage. Freddie died on November 24, 1991. It happened at about seven o'clock in the evening. Death occurred at his London home. How did Freddie Mercury die? According to doctors, death was caused by bronchopneumonia, which was caused by AIDS.

When fans learned about the passing of the legendary man, many fans gathered at the gates of his house and came to say goodbye to their idol. After all, he was young, he was only 45 years old. There were flowers, cards, photographs and letters along the paths of his house.

Singer's funeral

Freddie Mercury's funeral was private. Fans were not allowed in. Only close people were present. How was Freddie Mercury buried? His nationality is Parsi, and this people adheres to Zoroastrian beliefs. When the musician grew up, he did not follow them. But his parents buried him according to ancestral customs. The only thing that is known at the moment is that the burial ceremony was held to music.

Freddie's body was cremated, and only his family knew where the musician's ashes were. It was his wish that his relatives could not dispute. But a couple of years ago, information appeared in the press that his fans had discovered his burial place - a cemetery located in London.

Freddie managed to draw up a will, according to which most of his funds should belong to Mary Austin, his sister and parents. He also bequeathed his money to the following people:

• to the cook;
• driver;
• personal assistant;
• Jim Hutton, my close friend.

Posthumous fame

But despite the fact that Freddie died more than twenty years ago, he was, is and will be one of the most popular performers in history. Freddie Mercury's voice is still legendary. His songs are listened to to this day, and many people embody his image, as they remember the star of those years.

Even people far from music gasped when they learned about the death of such a great man. After his death, members of the group in which he had recently been a soloist staged a memorial concert. Proceeds raised from the performance were donated to the AIDS Foundation.

Freddie Mercury's life was not in vain. In Switzerland, a monument was erected to this man in 1996. And for good reason, because the musician and singer was in this country for a long time and worked there. Initially, they wanted to install this monument in London. The search for a place to build it lasted for about four years, but it was never successful. But in London there is still a modest monument located in the backyard of the college where Freddie studied. However, his friends found this offensive.

The development of music in the eighties is associated with the name Freddie. Today, many singers try on the image of the legend of bygone days. But no one managed to prove themselves the way Freddie did. The music that was written and performed by Mercury deserves all kinds of awards, prizes and audience admiration.

Facts from life

As his friends say, Freddie was very fond of pets, especially cats. Therefore, he had several pets in his house, each of which he took care of. Freddie even dedicated a song to one of his cats.

Mercury tried to work with Michael Jackson. The musicians recorded four compositions together that simply shocked the audience.

Freddie Mercury is a legend who passed away so early due to a fatal illness. He fought to the last, but was powerless in the face of such a difficult diagnosis. He made grandiose plans for his life, but it is a pity that they were not destined to come true.

The legendary Freddie Mercury, a biography whose personal life does not leave millions of fans indifferent, was, without a doubt, great. After his death, a huge number of documentaries were made and broadcast on various television channels in honor of Freddie's memory. In 2012, he even became a character in one of the games. Freddie Mercury's story will continue for many years to come. He will forever remain alive for his fans.

At the head of Freddie Mercury's bed, with the keys facing him, there was a piano - so that if the musician needed to play something, he could do it without wasting time. With all his hectic lifestyle, the leader of The Queen did not waste a second, as evidenced by dozens of songs that have become classics..

PHOTO Getty images

Freddie Mercury's real name is Farrukh Bulsara. “Farrukh” translated from Zanzibar means “beautiful”, “happy”. Officially, the future rock star changed her name in 1970. When he was addressed as Farrukh, Mercury became furious.

Mercury was a Parsi by nationality (an ethnic group of Iranian origin professing Zoroastrianism).

The first group of Mercury, then still Bulsara, was the school ensemble The Hectics (“Fidgets”).

After graduating from London's Ealing College of Art, he received a diploma in graphic design. The emblem of The Queen group, consisting of zodiac signs, was invented and drawn by Mercury himself.

Freddie Mercury had a long-term (7 years) relationship with Mary Austin. In 1976, the artist confessed to her his own bisexuality, the couple broke up, but until the end of their lives they were close friends. Austin served as Mercury's secretary; according to the will, she received part of the musician's fortune and his house.

In everyday life, Freddie Mercury was extremely shy. This was one of the reasons that the artist rarely gave interviews.

Mercury loved cats; sometimes he had at least 10 animals living with him at the same time. The solo album of the musician Mr Bad Guy is dedicated to the tailed ones, to his beloved cat - the song Delilah from the latest album of The Queen (Innuendo). While on tour, Mercury regularly called home and spent hours talking with cats.

The Queen's leader's favorite country was Japan.

His musical idols were John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix.

Mercury himself considered The Game (1980; includes songs such as Play the Game and Another One Bites the Dust) to be the best album of The Queen.

The song Crazy Little Thing Called Love from the album The Game was written by Mercury in the bathroom, arranged and recorded in the studio in half an hour. This is the only song in which Freddie Mercury plays guitar.

The artist considered Somebody To Love to be his most successful song.

The artist's favorite color was yellow. A special variety of yellow roses is named after him.

He was a passionate philatelist.

Before one of the concerts in Britain, Mercury got into a fight with his then partner Billy Reid. He bit the musician’s hand until he bled.

During another quarrel, Reid and Mercury shouted at each other for several hours in a row, as a result, the next morning the artist lost his voice - and this was on the eve of his appearance on the Saturday Night Live television show. The medical team spent a lot of effort and money to ensure that the singer’s vocal abilities returned to normal by the evening.

While on tour in the United States, Freddie Mercury learned that his partner Tony Bastin was dating someone else. Mercury demanded that Bastin fly to him and, upon meeting, declare that everything was over between them. Immediately after this, the artist sent his unfaithful boyfriend back to England, and upon returning from tour, he took the cat away.

The Queen's greatest hits collection, released in October 1981, is the best-selling British album in music history (more than 25 million copies).

The song Barcelona from Mercury's solo album of the same name, released in 1988, became the anthem of the 1992 Olympics.

The Queen's concert in Sao Paulo in 1981 went down in history as the one that attracted the largest number of paid listeners (251,000).

Despite his classical musical education, Mercury has repeatedly admitted that he does not know notes well.

In 1987, Mercury covered the 60s hit The Great Pretender. In his performance, the song received a second life, and the artist himself began to be regularly called “The Great Pretender.”

The artist made a statement that he had AIDS the day before his death. Mercury was diagnosed positive for AIDS four years earlier, in the spring of 1987.

The last song he recorded was Mother Love, which was not included on the Innuendo album (four years later it was released on the Made in Heaven album). The final verse was sung by the band's guitarist Brian May for the seriously ill artist.

The sixth film in the Freddy Krueger film franchise, Freddy is Dead. The Last Nightmare" appeared on cinema screens on Mercury's last birthday, September 5th. The soundtrack to the film was composed by The Queen's namesake guitarist Brian May.

According to Zoroastrian tradition, a person is buried by giving his body to vultures - so as not to offend fire, water, earth, air. Despite this, Freddie Mercury was cremated, as British law allows for burial either by cremation or burial. However, a Zoroastrian priest was present at the singer’s funeral ceremony.

One version says that the artist’s ashes were scattered in his homeland in Zanzibar. According to another, this was done near Lake Geneva, near Mercury's house.

Freddie Mercury is mentioned in Kurt Cobain's suicide note: the Nirvana leader speaks of his admiration for his colleague, his ability to accept the love of the public.

In a biography published last year, musician Rod Stewart spoke about plans to create a supergroup that would include himself, Elton John and Freddie Mercury.

Ranked 58th on the list of the 100 Greatest Britons. The list is based on a survey conducted in 2002 by the BBC.

The Queen is the first band to use video screens at concerts, the first of the classic rock bands whose records have been downloaded more than 2 million times on the iTunes online store.

Then, in 2002, Mercury's song Bohemian Rhapsody was named the most beloved British pop song in the history of music.